Diary – 1978

Intro

1978

Still flying the old anarchy flag I see. Had decided on ‘The Innocents’ for the band name at this point, hence the title. Did a few of these songs live as The Pedestrians and Voice Toys too. Others only reached rehearsal stage. The original line up of The Innocents (who never made it out of Graham Proctor’s dad’s shed on Whitehill Industrial Estate) included Paul Reekie on bass who wrote the words to ‘Cecily Plasticine’ which I rerecorded after his death. There were a couple more we wrote together which have disappeared into the myths of time. I remember we were trying to escape from the template punk sound (which we named The Drones style) by this point, as were a number of bands attempting to diversify/experiment. Siouxsie & The Banshees and PIL were probably the pioneers of this new direction which, ironically, considering we were trying to be different, we tried to imitate. Only track left out (on account of total rubbishness) – Media Murderer.

 

Available (Remastered)

Lavinia Derwent did Teatime Tales on STV at the time. In case you were wondering.

On my settee
Lying down
Watching TV
With no sound
Programme on after the news
Man in the street type of views

Switching channels
Found a film
Naked dancers
Out of flesh
I reached out to touch the screen
And the tube surrounded me

All my silver screen stars
Are available to me

Now I lie down
With my box
Calling dancers
From my box
Lavinia Derwent knows
She has to keep on her toes

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Grey Castle (Remastered)

An attempt at gothy gloom. Sounded more sinister in rehearsals.

Heartbeat faster, grey door closer
Run for grey castle, door is ajar
Hunchback servant
Greets me in

Leads me upstairs, have a drink of wine
Very friendly, offers me Woodbine
Feeling dizzy, hit the floor

Laboratory, I was carried
Volts and amperes, volts and amperes
Raw mains crushing, colour flushing
In my brain cells, in my brain cells
But Jean is here

Sweeping violins for background noise
Heroine is here, what a surprise
Hunchback servant looking grim

Now I’m safe cos Jean has rescued me
Hunchback servant is no longer free
Look around us, feeling glad
But Jean is gone

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Late (Remastered)

‘The sheets won’t fold’. Oh dear. Later refashioned in 2023 as  Incredible

The car broke down
The bus, not round
The time, half three
The place, surgery

It don’t matter anyway cos you’re late

The bed, too cold
The sheets won’t fold
The lights, too dark
Get off my mark

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Age Gap (Remastered)

Already contemplating death. Ah – the innocence of youth.

My mum smokes like your mum
My dad walks like your dad
Always walking their dogs
Age gap

Your mum – too much make up
To hide her age she’s made up
She’s grown old
It’s an age gap

And when it’s all over you take a bow
And when it’s all over you take a bow

Old man going senile
Young girl, broad smile
Park bench on a Sunday
Age gap

Young man orders Penthouse
Sneaks it into his house
Porno on a Sunday
Age gap

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Calorie Controlled (Remastered)

If you knew Siouxsie like I knew Siouxsie…

Overweight, out of shape – Angry
At the slim boys, in the swim boys – Healthy
Watch your calories, vitamin A -Trim down

Lose weight, dehydrate
Fade away, diet fate

Lost two stones in just two weeks – Happy
Calorie controlled dinner – Slimcia
Pinapple and carrot juice – Supper

Go to work on a cabbage leaf – Hungry
Go tro sleep with an ounce of bread – Hungry
Now my scales read just three stones – Hungry

Nothing left, just couldn’t stop
Skin and bones just decompose

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Cecily Plasticine (2010 Remaster)

words by Paul Reekie

I’m in love with a girl called Cecily
She wants to chain herself to me
She’s like plasticine in my palms
Says she doesn’t want to be free

Cecily Plasticine
Her head is a hairdryer
Cecily Plasticine
Where have you been all my life?

______________________________________________

Cool Russell (Remastered)

Yes – there were ‘opposing factions’ in the Glenrothes ‘scene.’

He’s in an opposing faction
Alarm clock set for half five
Quarter to ten on a Friday
When Russell comes alive

Cool Russell

Got a flash C&A jumper
A shirt he bought from Mackay’s
His collar’s outside his raincoat
A nice selection in ties

He’s got a girlfriend called Sarah
She’s trendy down to her toes
Attends all the best discos
Watches the family shows

He’s getting married next April
His mum said that it was right

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Men, Women And Children (Remastered)

Really went for the full blown Banshees bombast here. I remember rehearsing it. Can’t remember if we ever did it live.

On the straight line
No more curves now
Narrow minded
Women first now

You look different
You’re not like us
We don’t like you
Are you normal?

Men, women and children
Men, women and children

Normal nation
Population
We’re accepted
By our media

Won’t you join us
Look like us please
We’re not happy
With the weirdos

All we’ve found out about life is
Screwing, drinking, smoking, talking

We’re the proles who do as we’re told
Follow elders
Moan about life

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Thirteen Precincts (Remastered)

Yet another new town salvo. Later refashioned in 2023 as Otters Otters Otters

New town, new boy, new food, new car
New wife waiting in the flat
Square domains and none are empty
No-one leaves, well fancy that

Stuck in a rut cos I live in Glenrothes
Some people stay and never make a fuss
The population’s rising every week
Now the floor boards in the town hall start to creak

Flash apartments – 1 high rise
The rest are lying on their sides
Very dull at the youth club hall
Excitement don’t exist at all

My holiday, your holiday
Let’s get away
It’s not too late

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Low Tide (Remastered)

A surreal trip to Kirkcaldy. Definitely remember playing this live, either with The Pedestrians or Voice Toys. Later refashioned in 2023 as Stinkhorn

I came to watch the band parade
In the high street and down the prom

Low tide waters
Forecast showers
Low tide waters

The record stall was fit to crack
All shopping done, boy gets a smack

I’ve got to lessen my senses – sit down
I’ve got to lessen my senses – fall down
I’ve got to lessen my senses – right down
I’ve got to lessen my senses – all down
I’ve got to lessen my senses – sit down

The crowd calmed down at closing time
All going home, some watched the tide

The waves were high – drowning the cars
The shoppers screamed on the sinking tar

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Human Zoo (Remastered)

Top notch catchy bass line well before anyone had ever heard of Peter Hook. Later refashioned in 2023 as 8 Out Of 10 Facts

Life after death for the common shrew
Makes love daily to garbage
Birds of prey in Colchester zoo
Chimpanzees in the garage

Animal instincts
Human zoo
Canine teeth
Devour you

Arthur pigeon in a trance
Transferred to the dovecot
Pigeon droppings over France
Emigrating – can’t stop

Original recording:

______________________________________________

Flyover (Remastered)

A live favourite. My next door neighbour at the time used to complain about me playing loud guitar when he was on night shift. Poor sod.

Oh oh my next door neighbour
Lives in a flyover
He always keeps his lights on
He always keeps his blinds down

Suffers from insomnia
Inspects the street at night

It keeps him live
It keeps him live
Fly

He loves his little puppy
Inspects the street at night

His name is Allardice
Inspects the street at night

He has no real affection
For his wife or children

Original recording: